ARMED police were called out in Stroud this morning after a man armed with a longbow and arrows was spotted running through gardens.

Police arrested a 37-year-old man on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon after the incident, which put the Weavers Croft health centre in Field Road into a temporary lockdown and saw officers also called to an area near Waitrose.

Officers were called to London Road, Stroud after reports that a man with a bow and arrows was trying to force entry to a property shortly before 6am and had then fled.

Officers attended with support from a police dog handler but the suspect was not located.

However, shortly before 8.30am police were called again after a man believed to be the suspect was seen running through gardens in Castle Rise, London Road, Castle Street, Lower Street and Spring Lane.

37-year-old man arrested 

Armed officers attended and a 37-year-old man was subsequently arrested around 9.35am on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon in connection with the incident.

He remains in police custody for questioning.

A longbow and several arrows were recovered from an address.

Earlier today, the SNJ reported Weavers Croft was placed on lockdown. 

READ MORE: Health centre in Stroud placed in lockdown

Weavers Croft was placed into lockdown for around 20 minutes amid the incident. 

It has since reopened.

Statement from Weavers Croft 

A spokesperson from Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust which runs Weavers Croft said: "The lockdown was purely a precautionary measure. 

"No one was harmed and we would like to thank colleagues who reacted swiftly to the situation."

The site is part of Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust and provides services including Complex Psychological Interventions and Managing Memory Together.

Police have issued an appeal and want to hear from anyone who saw what took place or from anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage which could help the investigation.

Information can be provided to police online by completing the following form and quoting incident 69 of June 24.

Police were spotted in London Road earlier today  (Image: Newsquest)

Weavers Croft was temporarily put in lockdown this morning (Image: Newsquest)